Volunteers clean up Demaret Drive

Volunteers from the group For Columbia worked to clean up Demaret drive from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

About 2,400 volunteers worked around Columbia cleaning up different neighborhoods. Saturday was the first time the group had worked on Demaret Drive.

Members of the group on Demaret picked up trash in yards and along the road. One volunteer said this would help landlords mow grass in areas filled with large items.

They also fixed flower beds, had a barbcue, and worked with several landlords to fix mailboxes.

CaSandra Edwards, who has lived on Demaret Drive for three years was extremely happy with the cleanup effort on her street.

“I think it’s really nice and they gave me a big two pots of tomatoes and peppers,” she said.

“They had good activities for the kids and everything.”

Children were bouncing basketballs For Columbia had given them up and down the street Saturday afternoon.

Edwards said her street has a bad name in Columbia.

“D-Block always has a bad name. They say so much goes on out here, but I stay to myself and mind my business and all the kids have been respectful to me,” she said.

Demaret Drive is commonly known for violence and drugs. There were several shootings on Demaret in 2018, and on April 3, 2019 an 18-year-old woman was hit by gunfire.

Many residents said the people inciting violence in the area do not live there.

Edwards said it was nice to see people taking pride in the place where they live.

“I think that’s nice for people to take pride in D-Block that has a bad name,” she said.

Matt Copeland, a volunteer from For Columbia, said the group hopes its work would allow people to take pride in their street.

“If we can come out and give some attention, help pick up some trash, paint some mailboxes, do some very basic things, the hope and the goal is that it’ll give some pride to help people know that they can take pride in where they live and where they call home,” Copeland said.

He said the group also hopes it shows everyone who lives on Demaret Drive that, despite its reputation, the community still wants them to succeed.

“It’s something that shows different parts of our city that maybe not gotten quite as much attention that there are people that care about them, and people that want to see that the area’s improved,” he said.

For Columbia said it plans to come back to Demaret Drive next year.